Uncertainty looms over results of SSC, holding of HSC exams
The lockdown, caused by the advent of the novel coronavirus, looks set to delay the publication of the results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations.
It also casts a doubt on holding of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams in due time.
This unprecedented delay has caused uncertainty for over 3.3 million students and left the whole academic calendar in chaos.
The HSC exams were scheduled to begin on 1 April while the results of SSC and equivalent exams were scheduled to be published in early May.
Education ministry and Dhaka Education Board officials told Prothom Alo that the chairmen of the education boards held a videoconference with secondary and higher education department’s secretary Md Mahbub Hossain on Tuesday. The meeting discussed the fate of two exams.
The meeting decided that results of SSC and equivalent exams will be published within 15 days of normal vehicular movement being restored.
But the government has not taken any decision to ease the restriction on vehicular movement yet.
On the other hand, HSC exams would not start before Eid ul Fitr, the authorities decided.
Over 1.3 million students who are likely to take part in this year’s HSC exam have become worried over the postponement of the exams. Over 2 million appeared in the SSC exam held last February.
Dhaka Education Board chairman Md Ziaul Haque on Tuesday told Prothom Alo that evaluation of the answer sheets of the SSC exams is almost complete but around 30 per cent marksheet have not reached the board.
A probable routine of HSC exams would be published after 25 April, he added.
Teachers and education administration’s officials said the whole education calendar would be affected by the delay.
The admission to colleges starts after publication of the SSC results while university admission process begins after the HSC results. The delay would lead to 'session jam' at the educational institutes.
Not only these two public exams, uncertainty looms over the whole education calendar of the country. Education of around 40 million students from primary to tertiary level has faced severe setbacks. In a damage control mode, the authorities have decided to curtail some vacations such as Eid ul Azha and Durja Puja.
Meanwhile, some private educational institutions have sent messages to guardians seeking tuition fees amid this ongoing crisis. South Point School and College authorities sent SMS to the guardians asking them to pay tuition fees within 30 April through mobile financial system Bkash. Some other institutions also sent similar SMS to the guardians.
The government on 18 March shut the educational institutes of the country but the presence of students decreased from the beginning of the month.
Adding Eid and some other holidays, now the holiday of educational institutes has been extended to 30 May.
State-run Sangsad Television is broadcasting recorded classes. But allegations are there that this method is not being fully effective.
Director general of Secondary and higher education Syed Golam Faruk, however, said the authorities have decided to increase the number of classes fixing the existing problems within it.
Besides, colleges have been asked to start online class, he added.
Dhaka College, Viquarunnisa Noon School and College and some other colleges have already started taking online classes.
Viquarunnisa Noon School and College’s principal Fowzia told Prothom Alo that they have already uploaded 160 online classes of Class I-X and 10-12 classes college level.